"side-splittingly funny"
- OperaVision
COMEDY
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Arriving at a peculiar resort-sanatorium, a woman's plans for weight loss in a weekend to save her marriage are hilariously derailed, when her husband unexpectedly checks in. Lured by a Healer with a reputation for a quick fix, an array of unique and entertaining characters struggling with the complexities of modern life soon realise their healing is not as straightforward as they thought.
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Poking fun at the wellness industry and our contemporary obsessions with perfection, flaws and fads, Sanatorium Express takes us on a surprisingly sentimental and uplifting journey.
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About the music:
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Iiro Rantala's music is characterised by its genre-defying versatility and playful approach. His style seamlessly blends jazz and classical influences, showcasing virtuosic piano skills and a knack for memorable melodies. Rantala's compositions often feature unexpected twists, incorporating elements of humor and improvisation.
His work spans from intimate solo piano pieces to full orchestral arrangements, always maintaining a sense of accessibility and emotional depth. Rantala's unique voice in music is marked by technical brilliance, compositional ingenuity, and an ability to move effortlessly between styles, creating a sound that is both sophisticated and entertaining.
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About the words:
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Minna Lindgren is a Finnish author and journalist known for her witty and insightful writing. Her literary style blends humour with social commentary, particularly evident in her popular "Twilight Grove" (Lavender Ladies Detective Agency) trilogy.
Lindgren's work often explores themes of aging, modern society, and culture with a satirical edge. Her background in classical music journalism informs her writing, including her opera librettos. Lindgren's prose is characterised by its accessibility, warmth, and ability to tackle serious issues through comedy.
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When
Sat 22 Feb 8pm
Thu 27 Feb 8pm
Where
Panarcadian Festival Theatre
570 Victoria Street
North Melbourne
TBA...(MELB)
Duration
2 hours + 20min interval
Tickets
Pre-sale:
October 7
General Bookings:
October 14
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Premium: $139
General Admission: $119
Concession: $89
Composer
Iiro Rantala
Director
Petra Kalive
Librettist
Minna Lindgren
Music Director
TBA
Other performances
p r i s m
Doting mother Lumee and her daughter Bibi live isolated, in a pristine​ sanctuary. Bibi and Lumee are trying to protect each other from the danger that lurks outside their door.
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Winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2019, and written just before #metoo, p r i s m explores the elasticity of memory after the trauma of a sexual assault, and the extent to which we will go to try to make it all better.
Soldier Songs
Soldier Songs - 'an opera in the form of a song cycle' - depicts that solitude of a soldier’s experience: one isolated baritone stands alone in this piece and reflects a single vulnerability that speaks for generations.
But more powerfully, Soldier Songs deals with the crisis of communicable experience: the soldiers who return from war unable to bear witness to their chaotic memories.​​